Yakety Yak, Yak, Yak
The appetizer basket is packed with sardines, rice cakes and an unusual fruit, but self-confidence may prove to be the most valuable ingredient for the chefs. In the entrée round the competitors have to take yak and dried shrimp and design a delicious main course. Then with $10,000 on the line and chamomile flowers in the basket, creativity blooms in the dessert round, with the judges moved by the personal growth they see from the finalists. Contestants *Kate Squibb, Sous chef, 158 Café, South Portland, ME *Vinson Petrillo, Executive Sous chef, Caviar Russe, New York, NY *Jill Nicolson, Caterer and Entrepreneur, Cuisine with Jill Nicolson, Torrington, CT *Nicholas Porcelli, Executive Chef, Shhh, New York, NY Judges *Marcus Samuelsson *Geoffrey Zakarian *Scott Conant Meal Appetizer Ingredients: Wax Beans, Mandarinquats, Sardines, Rice Cakes Kate created Rice Cake Encrusted Sardine with Salad. Kate is able to ping-pong a lot of different flavors off of each other, and the fun she had while cooking comes through. The rice cakes aren't crunchy, and there are a lot more greens in comparison to the other ingredients. Vinson made Mediterranean Sardine with Toasted Rice Cake. His plate has four elements that aren't a dish. There are also bones in his sardine. The judges feel that the one thing acceptable about the dish is that all four mystery ingredients were on it. Jill's dish is Cornmeal Encrusted Sardine with Sweet 'N Sour Sauce. Jill failed to get her rice cakes on the plate. Her dish is vibrant and incredibly creative, with a lot of things going on. Nicholas did a Wax Bean Sardine Salad with Mandarinquat Vinaigrette. The judges like his dressing and the use of sardines in two ways. The presentation could be more inviting, and Nicholas forgot to clean the ends of the wax beans. The judges appreciate the creativity from Chef Jill, but chop her for not getting the rice cakes on the plate. Entrée Ingredients: Mangosteens, Mustard Greens, Dried Shrimp, Yak Strip Steaks Vinson made Grilled Yak with Aioli and Mustard Greens Pesto. The judges are amazed by the turnaround in Vinson. The shrimp is in three places, the mustard greens are in two places, and the yak is cooked perfectly. The dish could go on any restaurant in Manhattan exactly the way it is and people would love it. Nicholas prepared Pan-Seared Yak with Purple Potatoes and Mangosteen Sauce. Nicholas's dish is technically very good, with perfectly seared yak and beautiful mustard greens. The shrimp and mangosteen don't come through in the sauce, and the dish is very safe. Kate created Stuffed Yak with Coconut Sauce and Rice Noodles. Kate creates big bold flavors and has a very creative approach to the dish. The yak is a bit awkward, and the purple potatoes are both unnecessary and undercooked. Marcus is searching for the shrimp and mangosteen a bit. The judges chop Chef Nicholas because his dish was a bit too safe and they couldn't taste the mangosteen or the shrimp. Dessert Ingredients: Black Pepper Crackers, Plums, Kefir, Chamomile Flowers Kate prepared Kefir Chamomile Pakora with Plum Reduction. There is a lot to love about her dessert, being fried, fresh, and with a great balance of sweetness. The judges want more than one pakora each, and the mint could have been sliced a bit thinner. Vinson made Chamomile Kefir Pudding with Vanilla French Toast & Plums. The dessert is absolutely fantastic, being playful and sophisticated with great textures in the pudding and black pepper streusel. The only complaint is that Vinson used too much balsamic when caramelizing his plums. The judges have a difficult decision, but decide to chop Chef Kate because of the near perfection of Vinson's last two rounds. Vinson is made Chopped Champion. Gallery YYYY Chefs.png|The chefs for the episode. From left to right: Nicholas, Jill, Vinson, and Kate Kate's Rice Cake Sardine and Salad.png|Kate's Appetizer Vinson's Worst Plate Ever.png|Vinson's Appetizer Jill's Cormeal Sardines without Stale Popcorn Farts.png|Jill's Appetizer Nicholas's Salad.png|Nicholas's Appetizer Vinson's Turn Around.png|Vinson's Entrée Nicholas's Steak and Potatoes.png|Nicholas's Entrée Kate's Stuffed Yak.png|Kate's Entrée Kate's Pakora.png|Kate's Dessert Vinson's Pudding and French Toast.png|Vinson's Dessert Category:Episodes Category:Season 9 Category:Rice Cakes Category:Sardines Category:Mangosteens Category:Plums Category:Mustard Greens Notes *Chef Vinson later returned for Chopped Champions. *Chef Kate later returned for Chopped Redemption Category:Episodes Category:Season 9 Category:Rice Cakes Category:Sardines Category:Mangosteens Category:Plums Category:Mustard Greens Category:Yak Steaks Category:Kefir Category:Shrimp Category:Dried Shrimp